Jack enters camp as UCLA's 'it' guy

Aug. 4, 2014

Updated Aug. 5, 2014 10:13 a.m.

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UCLA wide receiver Sam Handler (32) warms up as quarterback Brett Hundley (17) records him with a portable camera on his helmet during the team's first day of fall training camp at Cal State San Bernardino on Monday. TERRY PIERSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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UCLA linebackers Aaron Porter (42) and Myles Jack (30) during the team's first day of training camp at Cal State San Bernardino. TERRY PIERSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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UCLA linebacker Myles Jack smiles on the field during the team's first day of fall training camp. TERRY PIERSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley (17) records one of the coaches with a helmet camera during the team's first day of fall training camp at Cal State San Bernardino. TERRY PIERSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley (17) passes during the team's first day of fall training camp at Cal State San Bernardino. TERRY PIERSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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UCLA linebacker Kenny Orjioke (46) watches the defense during the team's first day of fall training camp at Cal State San Bernardino. TERRY PIERSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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UCLA defensive lineman Owamagbe Odighizuwa (94) during the team's first day of fall training camp at Cal State San Bernardino. TERRY PIERSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

UCLA wide receiver Sam Handler (32) warms up as quarterback Brett Hundley (17) records him with a portable camera on his helmet during the team's first day of fall training camp at Cal State San Bernardino on Monday. TERRY PIERSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

SAN BERNARDINO – A year ago, when he stepped into the hot San Bernardino sun for the first time at UCLA’s fall camp, Myles Jack was just a wide-eyed freshman, looking nervously to the rest of the Bruins’ experienced linebackers for help.

It’s a funny thought now, knowing how Jack’s two-way stylings as a freshman swept the nation, inspired an outpouring of Chuck Norris-style jokes, and convinced the Pac-12 to name him both defensive and offensive freshman of the year. Vulnerability was not exactly his thing.

Now, as he embarks on his second fall camp, at the start of a season that includes sky-high expectations for him and his team, he’s much easier to spot. He’s sitting down after practice for interviews with Pac-12 Network’s “The Drive”. He’s being moved around UCLA’s defense — rushing the quarterback and dropping into coverage. And with Anthony Barr and Jordan Zumwalt off to the NFL, he’s the one, along with Eric Kendricks, who young linebackers look to for guidance.

“I had people ask me what to do here, what to do there,” Jack said. “That was really a change-up. Now, here I am, giving answers.”

The most important question Jack might answer this fall is regarding UCLA’s pass rush, which is considerably more unproven than it was last season with Barr and defensive end Cassius Marsh manning the Bruins’ front. In the spring, Jack said his focus during the offseason would be on his pass rush, with which he was mostly a non-factor as a freshman. On Monday, Jack routinely lined up near the line of scrimmage and took off on a blitz.

“We would love to see Myles disrupting the quarterback,” UCLA coach Jim Mora said. “If Myles can be a guy who can step up and produce more in that type of area, that would be good for us.”

No plans have been made yet for him on the other side of the ball, but even before that twist is added, Mora still voiced the same unease he had with Jack last season. Jack, per usual, played down those concerns.

“He’s so intriguing, and you go, ‘There’s so many things this guy can do,’” Mora said. “But at some point, you have to put the brakes on. You have to think of his productivity. Are you going to overwhelm him? ... But at the same time, he is an impact player. We do want to create mismatches.”

FITTS TO TRANSFER

Defensive end Kylie Fitts, who was expected to be a key backup in the Bruins’ defensive rotation, will transfer from UCLA, Mora announced on Monday.

Fitts enrolled early last season, after spurning his initial USC commitment to join UCLA. He dealt with injuries as a freshman and saw little playing time, but was expected to contribute as a sophomore. Without him, UCLA will likely turn to freshman Matt Dickerson or junior Eli Ankou to rotate in at one of the end spots.

UCLA debuted a handful of touted freshmen on the first day of fall camp, but three members of the Bruins’ 20-player class weren’t in attendance.

Quarterback Aaron Sharp, wide receiver Jordan Lasley and linebacker Dwight Williams were left off the camp roster for unspecified reasons and won’t rejoin the team until after the Bruins’ opener against Virginia.

“Those three guys did not live up to the standards that we’re looking for through the summer months,” Mora said. “So we left them off the 105. They are not suspended from our football team. I expect them to come back more mature and more focused.”

INJURY REPORT

Offensive tackle Simon Goines, who fractured his fibula last November, was cleared to rejoin the team, but was held out of live drills during the first day of camp. He’ll be brought along slowly, Mora said. Until then, Conor McDermott will likely receive first-team reps at right tackle, where Mora said he expects “good competition.”

Freshman wideout Mossi Johnson landed awkwardly on his left shoulder during a scrimmage on Monday. He received an X-ray soon after, but his status is currently unclear.

Wide receiver Darren Andrews, who missed the end of his freshman season because of a knee injury, is again out for the season after injuring it again. He’ll redshirt this year.

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